Azerbaijan lodges protest with Russia over drone strike on SOCAR fuel station in Ukraine

On 6 July, Russian Ambassador to Baku Mikhail Yevdokimov was summoned to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry.

During the meeting, a strong protest was conveyed regarding the drone strike carried out on the evening of 5 July against a SOCAR fuel station located in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region, and a corresponding note verbale was handed over to the Russian side, the ministry said in a statement.

In the meeting, it was noted that the drone attack in question was not an isolated incident, SOCAR-owned facilities in Ukraine, including a gas distribution compressor station and an oil depot in Odesa had previously been subjected to military strikes and other destructive effects of military operations, resulting in significant material damage and injuries among company employees.

It was stated that the continuation of such incidents, despite repeated warnings, indicates that the attacks are being carried out deliberately.

Attention was also drawn to several airstrikes that damaged the premises of the Embassy in Kyiv and the Honorary Consulate in Kharkiv, and the importance of strictly adhering to obligations regarding the protection of diplomatic and consular premises in accordance with the Vienna Conventions was emphasized.

The Russian side was called upon to conduct a comprehensive investigation into all the aforementioned incidents, provide appropriate explanations regarding the attacks, and ensure full compliance with its international obligations concerning the protection of civilian objects and diplomatic missions.

Stabil.Az